Musk Departs White House Following 130 Days of Chaos: Chainsaw Stunts, Tesla Presents, and a Fiery ‘Whipping Boy’ Critique

ELON Musk has announced he is exiting his role as Donald Trump’s “secretary of cost-cutting” – ending a dramatic 130-day White House stint.

The leader of Tesla dedicated the majority of Trump’s initial 100 days to spearheading the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), where he focused on reducing government expenditures and providing the president with essential guidance.

However, his tenure in this position—during which he made significant changes to multiple federal agencies and cut government spending by billions—was characterized by a series of intense situations.

This includes the billionaire tech mogul brandishing a chainsaw on stage and even putting up a Tesla sales pitch outside the White House.

Musk showed unwavering support for the Republican MAGA campaign, which earned him a role in Trump’s top team.

In January, he was appointed as a “special government employee,” a title designated for individuals with specialized knowledge who temporarily serve in the government.

The billionaire tech mogul was granted a 130-day employment period ending on May 30.

In April, Musk revealed he would leave the Trump administration when his work is expected to be finished, despite the president saying he wants to keep him as long as possible.

A US official yesterday said Musk’s “off-boarding will begin tonight”, confirming his quick and unceremonious departure from the White House.

Musk did not have a formal conversation with Trump before announcing his exit, according to an official source.

His exit came a day after criticising Trump’s marquee tax bill.

He called the bill too expensive and said that it would undermine his work with the US DOGE, which he said was becoming the “whipping boy for everything“.

Musk told CBS News: “I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly, which increases the budget deficit, not just decreases it, and undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing.”

Speaking to the Washington Post, the billionaire said: “DOGE is just becoming the whipping boy for everything.

“Something bad would happen anywhere, and we would get blamed for it even if we had nothing to do with it.”

One source said the billionaire’s decision to trash Trump’s bill on television deeply upset senior White House aides.

The legislation includes a mix of tax cuts and enhanced immigration enforcement. 

Though Musk thanked Trump after exiting and wrote: “As my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end, I would like to thank [President Trump] for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending.”

While the Tesla boss remains close to the president, his exit comes after a gradual but steady slide in standing.

After Trump’s inauguration, the richest man in the world emerged as a unique force in Trump’s orbit.

He became the biggest cheerleader for the foe-turned-pal president, pumping in millions of dollars in his MAGA election campaign.

But being Trump’s right-hand man took on a new meaning when he made headlines by dramatically throwing out his arm – twice – at a rally celebrating Trump’s January 20 inauguration.

Standing at a podium bearing the presidential seal, Musk’s right arm was straight, his hand open, his palm facing down.

Musk lashed out at his critics who likened his geture to a “Nazi salute”.

He dismissed the claims, posting on his X: “The ‘everyone is Hitler’ attack is sooo tired.”

Hot off his salute row, Musk became a near-constant presence in the White House.

Dressed down in MAGA hats and t-shirts, he would always be seen flanking Trump in and out of the White House.

And so did his four-year-old son named  X Æ A-Xii for some time.

During Musk’s first appearance since his arrival in Washington, the child was trotted out, and Trump said: “This is X and he’s a great guy.”

The boy was filmed picking his nose while his father boasted about his cost-cutting exploits while standing next to the Oval Office’s Resolute Desk.

At Trump’s first cabinet meeting on February 26, Musk had a starring role even though he is not part of the cabinet.

He stood looming near a doorway, wearing a t-shirt with the words “Tech Support” across the chest as the cabinet met.

Musk bashed the American bureaucracy and immediately made brutal cuts to the federal workforce and budget.

And to show off his management style, he donned sunglasses and brandished a chainsaw on stage at a conservative get-together in Washington.

It was handed to him by Argentine President Javier Milei, who made the machine a symbol of slashing bureaucracy and state spending in his own country.

Musk, at times, tended to be effusive in his praise of Trump.

“The more I’ve gotten to know President Trump, the more I like the guy,” he said in February.

“Frankly, I love him.”

The MAGA president repaid the favour, describing Musk as a truly great American.

And when Musk’s Tesla sales were tanking – with vandals targeting his brand – he even hosted a highly publicised test drive to boost the brand’s reputation at the White House.

With a Tesla Cybertruck and a Model S parked on the South Portico, Trump and Musk mounted a sales pitch.

The president even said he had purchased one.

Musk clashed with three of Trump’s most senior cabinet members – Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

After Trump announced his sweeping US tariffs, Musk made the case for a free-trade zone between the United States and Europe.

This clashed with Trump’s foreign trade policy.

Shortly after, he called Trump’s trade adviser Peter Navarro a “moron” and “dumber than a sack of bricks.”

Navarro dismissed the insults, saying, “I’ve been called worse.”

White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt tried to play down the public feud, saying that “boys will be boys”.

‘MAJOR WASTE CLEANUP’

Since working at the forefront of Doge, Musk has claimed the department has cut tons of wasteful government spending.

Several cabinet secretaries are already discussing with the White House how to proceed without further alienating Congressional Republicans.

“This is a revolution and I think it might be the biggest revolution in the government since the original revolution,” he said.

The Tesla owner was tasked by the Trump administration to find $1 trillion worth of savings by 2026 and claimed DOGE’s goal is to cut waste and the deficit by $4 billion a day, seven days a week.

Trump and DOGE have managed to cut nearly 12 per cent, or 260,000, of the 2.3 million-strong federal civilian workforce largely through threats of firings, buyouts and early retirement offers.

“The DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government,” Musk said.

But even as department heads will keep some DOGE infrastructure in place, they will likely move to reassert control over budgets and staffing.

Having spent nearly $300 million to back Trump’s presidential campaign and other Republicans last year, he said earlier this month he would substantially cut his political spending.

“I think I’ve done enough,” Musk said at an economic forum in Qatar.

DOGE’S FUTURE WITHOUT MUSK

When asked about Doge’s future, Trump acknowledged that the goal was to operate fluidly without Musk at the helm.

“There will be a point at which the secretaries will be able to do this work and do it, as we say, with a scalpel,” Trump told reporters on Monday.

Trump has been outspoken about his support of Musk’s work with the Department of Government Efficiency, but has also hinted the tech genius won’t be around for long.

Earlier in March, the president said, “I think he will know when it’s time. He doesn’t want to stay around.”

Trump explained that Musk is busy juggling efforts with Space X and various other business ventures and would like to get back at the helm sooner rather than later.

“I think he’s amazing but I also think he’s got a big company to run and so at some point he’s going to be going back,” said Trump.

“He wants to. I’d keep him as long as I could keep him.”